Tell Marines No Housing at Beach, Court Is Urged

The San Clemente-based Surfrider Foundation filed a lawsuit in federal court Tuesday to block Camp Pendleton from building 120 duplexes for officer housing at the Marine base’s northwest corner near Richard M. Nixon’s old Western White House.

The foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, preserving and restoring beaches, says it opposes the housing plan because the 40-acre site at San Mateo Point is next to a protected wetland reserve and near a popular state beach.

“This area is an undeveloped natural treasure,” said Pierce Flynn, the foundation’s executive director, adding that the area is visited by thousands of bird watchers, hikers, swimmers and surfers.

The location for military housing is just south of the Orange County line and near Trestles, a popular surfing beach.

According to the lawsuit, filed in San Diego, the project “threatens to negatively impact [Surfrider’s] members by disrupting aesthetic enjoyment, recreational activities, water quality of San Mateo Creek, sensitive habitat areas, archeological resources and nature and scientific study.”

The foundation is asking the court to prevent construction because the military allegedly has not complied with the National Environmental Policy Act and has failed to prepare an environmental impact statement on the project.

Named as defendants in the suit are Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton, Marine Corps Commandant Charles C. Krulak, and the base’s commanding general, Charles W. Reinke.

Staff Sgt. Janice Hagar, a base spokeswoman, said an environmental assessment found that the project would have no significant impact. The base is accepting construction bids and a contractor is expected to be named later this month.

“The winning bidder has three months to complete final design plans,” Hagar said. “So, construction won’t start until late fall or early 1998.”

She said base officials have not seen the lawsuit and could not comment on the litigation.

The housing project has come under fire since it was proposed more than two years ago. In addition to Surfrider Foundation, the proposal has been criticized by the city of San Clemente, state parks officials, and residents in an exclusive residential development next to the site.

“Our position was fairly well known,” said Mike Tope, chief ranger for the South County area’s state parks and beaches. “We recognize Camp Pendleton’s need for housing but would have preferred it to be located somewhere else.”

In the past, Marine officials have said that the project is badly needed because there is an estimated shortage of 1,000 family housing units at the base.

Foundation President Gary Sirota said the organization believes alternative sites at the 125,000-acre base should be found.

“This is about protecting wetlands and open space,” Sirota said. “It’s not about denying the Marine Corps their housing. Better sites exist within the base that so far have not been evaluated.”

The California Coastal Commission, which doesn’t have jurisdiction over the military base, concurred with the project last October after negotiating to have it reduced from 128 to 120 duplexes.